ISR Self-Rescue™ Swim Lessons

After your little’s initial session, you can expect their skills to last 9-12 months without regular practice and 12+ months with regular practice. Program graduates are encouraged to participate in refresher lessons (shortened session sessions of one or two weeks) annually to refresh and progress skills or maintenance lessons (once weekly) in subsequent sessions to maintain skills. Find additional information about refresher and maintenance lessons here.

Since we know that 86% of childhood drownings occur when children are fully clothed, students practice their self-rescue skills during the final week of lessons in pajamas and winter clothing tests, (which can add 10-15lbs!). If a child has experienced the sensation of being in the water in clothing prior to an emergency situation, they’re less likely to experience panic and more able to focus on rescuing themselves if one occurs. Also, witnessing your child self-rescue in several layers, a jacket, and shoes will give you such peace of mind!

Our student’s well-being and safety are ALWAYS our number one priority. ISR lessons are quite demanding, both mentally and physically, and we never want to over-fatigue or exhaust our students. No one goes back to the gym after a brutal leg day, am I right? Also, we want to ensure retention of skills. As parents, you know all too well how short your little’s attention span can be, and young children attain skills best within the first 10 minutes of an activity.

In May of 2010, the AAP changed its policy regarding the age at which children should start swimming lessons. This change was based on research that found that swim lessons provided reduction in drowning risk of children aged 1 to 4 years old. "Association Between Swimming Lessons and Childhood Drowning," published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, March 2009, was the first study to probe the relationship between drowning reduction and swimming skills. The study concluded that "participation in formal swimming lessons was associated with an 88% reduction in the risk of drowning in 1- to 4-year-old children..." and recommended lessons as a layer of protection against drowning.